#280 bbb 09-30-10 147
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8/8/2019 #280 BBB 09-30-10 147
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MAGNOLIACLIPPING SERVICE(601) 856·0911 I (205) 758.8610
STONE CO ENTERPRISE
WIGGINS, MS
Circulation =2881
WEEKLY
09/15/2010
11111111111111 11111 /IIf" 1111 /111111/
Beware of•
common senior
scams(SPM
geting senior citizens is a
grol,"ing concern, as mil
lions have fallcn victim
nationwide. ThcB(;l.tterBusiness Bureau (BBB) is
encouraging famTIies to
recognize and avoid some
common cons targetingseniors.
Roughly 20 p e n ~ e n t ofAmericans aged 65 or older
already have been taken
advantage of financially by
inappropriate investmentopportunities, unrcason
ably high fccs for financialservices or outright fraud,
according to a recent survey by Investor Protection
Trust.
Some coinmon senior
scams include:* Sweepstakes and
Lottery Scams: Victims
usually receive letters stating they have won a lottery
or sweepstakes; sometimes
claiming to be from
Publisher's Clearing Houseor Reader's Digest. The let
ters tell victims to deposit
an enclosed check and wire
a portion back to the com
pany to cover taxes or
administration fees. Thefunds initially appear in
the bank account, but areremoved when the bank
determines the check is
fake.
'"
Medicare Scams:Scammers claim to be withMedicare and ask for per
sonal information such as
Medicare, Medicaid, socialsecurity, credit card or
bank account numbers.
Seniors should knowMedicare will never call to
ask for sensitive personalfinancial information.
* Bereavement Scams:Scamnlers call v.idows or
widowers and claim theirspouses had outstanding
debts that need to be paid
immediately. I f you arc
uncertain about owing adebt when collectors call,
ask for written confirma
tion.* Investment and Work at
Home Opportunities:Promises of easy money
often target older adults
because they may be looking to supplement their
incomes. The pitch might
come in the form of aninvestment opportunity
that promises big returns,
or as a way to make moneyat home for an upfrontcost. The victim is offered
what sounds like a great
opportunity but the extra
income never materializes.
Always research any workat home opportunity with
the BBB. Beware of investment or money-making
offers that seem too good
to be true or use high pressure sales tactics to get you
to sign up immediately.For more advice on
avoiding scams and fraud
visit bbb.org/us/consumer-tips-scams.
"Having a serious conver
sation with your elderlyparents about how they arcmanaging their money is
not easy, but it is extremely
important in order to helpprotect them from
unscrupulous crooks," saidAlison Southwick, BBB
spokesperson. "It'sextremely important to
keep the lines of communi
cation open so that you can
identify suspicious spend
ing habits, as well as educate your elder family
members on recognizingthe red flags of common'
cons."